Resizing and drying machine



3 Sheets-Sheet l Jam 14, 1936- w. ALcoRN ET Al.

- REsIzING AND DRYING MACHINE Jan 14, 1936 w. ALcoRN ET AL RESIZING' ANDDRYING MACHINE Filed spt. 26, 19:54 3 sheets-sheet 2 y a NvENToRS Zzqyayfr?? A y Wu/ww, 1

" ATTORNEY' WITN SS Jan. 14, 1936.

` 71lIllllllIl/lIlll/Illlllllllll Y gi I W. ALCORN ET AL HESIZING ANDDRYNG MACHINE rFilm1 sept. 26, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet V5 is 1*'.9A

.ATTORNEY retenue ha', 14,1936

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in resizing and drying machines,and its objects are as lfollowsz- First, `to provide a machinefor-stretching certain kinds of garments back to the original size aftera dry-cleaning operation.

Second, to simultaneously stretch a garment and resize it after adry-cleaning operation, thereby to restore the garment to its originalsize and the cloth to its original luster.

Third, to provide a machine for simultaneously stretching and steamingthe garment a'swell as impregnating the cloth with sizing thereby tocarry out the purpose already described.

Other objects. and advantages will appear in the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich,

Figure 1 is a' side elevation of the improved ma chine, a garment beingshown in place.

' 20 Figure -2 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 2-2of Figure l, particularly illustrating the rack adjustment.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the switch for controlling the fanmotor. 2.', Figure 4 is a, plan view of the machine, a part being shownin section. l

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 5 5 ofFigure 1. v

Figure 6 .is a cross section taken on the line 30 6--6 of Figure l,particularly illustrating the driving connection of the radial shaftswith the radially movable stretchingsections. e

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of one of the clamps. 35 Figure 8 isa, detail cross section taken on the .line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine.

.Figure 10 'is a cross section .taken on the line 4.0` Ill-I0 of Figure9, particularly illustrating the dust screen. l

Figure ll is a 'cross section taken substantially on the line II-IIofyFigure 9', particularly illus- .trating the shutter for regulatingthe hot air flow.

45. The instant; machine is particularly intended for use indry-cleaning establishments for the purposes briefiyoutlined above.'I'here are on the market, at-the Vpresent time, a'number of materialswhich contain a quantity of sizing to give 50 them a lustrous finish.These materials depend upon the presence of the sizing for their keepinga given dimension.

When a garment undergoes a cleaning process,

some of the sizing is lost, this resulting in the 55 shrinking ofthegarment. Thiseiect is better (el. ca -2s) understood when it isconsidered that in the original manufacture a piece of cloth, say-" longwill be stretched and impregnated with sizing to such an extent that itwill assume and `lceep a 36" dimension. When cloth sotreated issubjected to-cleaning so that some of the sizing is lost, it stands toreason that it will tend to shrink toward its original dimension, and ifthe garment is cleaned a 4suiiicient number ottimes it will shrink somuch as to be useless to the wearer.

The machine herein disclosed is so arranged that a garment made oi?cloth ofthe Vforegoing character can be stretched to its original size,and impregnated with sizing so that it will go from the cleaners in acondition closely approximating the original manufacture. The obviousresult is satisfaction on the partof the patron because of the more orless new appearance of the garment, andV also on the part of thedrycleaner because of his ability to turn out a practically perfectpiece of work.

Attention is directed to the drawings. The machine stands mainly on abase I which rests on the floor 2 to which it is secured by bolts 3 orthe like, or, if desired, the machine may merely be stood on the floorwithout being secured. The base I is part of a hollow body i whichincludes a floor 5 and top 6. Each end of the body has an opening, therespective openings being designated 1, 8.

A plate 9 is attached to the body over the opening 1. This plate has anindented portion Il) having its upright wall pressed out with louvers II(Fig. 9) for the intake of air. A screen I2, situated a, short distanceaway from the louvers, is intended to exclude dust. VThe frame I3 ofthis screen (Figi. l0) is slidable in guides I4. v One of the pair ofguides is carried by a narrow vane I5. The other `pair of guides ismounted adjacent to the opposite wall of the body (Figs. 5 and 10) Anopening I6 inthe top 6 so registers with the guides as to enablewithdrawal of the screen frame when a narrow hinged door I1 Fig. 4) islifted. y

vA heating 'coil I8 constitutes the means for heating the air passingthrough the louvers II and screen I2. 'I'his air may, in practice, beheated bymeans other than steamwhich is in tended to be used in the coilI8. The latter is .-supplied with steam by a valved pipe I9. One of thetop coils has a branch pipe 20. This pipe contains a valve 2|, thehandle of which extends to a point above the top 6. The lowermost coilhas a discharge pipe 22 which includes la dra valve 23 and water trap24. f

A sizing tank 25 is situated close enough to the coil I8 to obtain someof the heat. This renders the sizing more fluent and facilitates itsbeing sprayed onto the cloth from the inside of the garment (Fig. 1).'I'he tank 25 is filled through a spout 26 which is accessible at apoint above the top 6. The spout has a stopper 21 which holds inpressure.

The sizing in the tank is subjected to fluid pressure which is conductedinto the tank through a pipe 28 from a reservoir (not shown). Thisreservoir may comprise an air pressure tank such as is not uncommon indry-cleaning establishments. "Ihe sizing is conducted from the tank byan outlet pipe 29 (Fig. 9) which has an end 39 extending close to thebottom of the tank 25. `The pipe 29 contains a valve 3|, the handle ofwhich extends to a point above the top 6.

A shutter 32v (Fig. 9) is intended to regulate the flow of hot airpassingfrom around the coil I8. The 'shutter is slidable in the slot ofan elongated boss 33 on the top 6. A thumb screw 34 is used to adjustthe size of the aperture 35 through which the hot air iiows. Both thescreen frame I3 and shutter 32 can be'seated in a groovein the floor 5,the respective grooves being designated 36, 31 (Fig. 9). One side of theshutter 32 slidvably abuts a narrow vane 36 (Fig. 11), similar to thevane I5.

Hot air is drawn through the aperture 35 by a fan 39 (Fig. 9) This fanis operated by a motor 40. The motor is mounted on the body 4 in anysuitable manner, for example on stud bolts 4I which support it in asubstantially centered position. The motor is electrically operated, andthe current is controlled in any preferred way, for example by a switch42 (Fig. 3) which includes a movable varm 43 and contacts 44. These havea resistance wire 45 between them, the purpose being to provide avariable rate of speed.

An upright tubular standard 46 is fixedly mounted on the body 4 by meansof a foot plate 41 which is bolted down to the floor 5 as at 48 (Fig.9). [The standard goes through an opening in the top 6 andlextends anappreciable distance above the top. It slidably contains a cylindricalrack 49. 'I'he rack comprises a cylindrical bar with spur teeth cut inone side (Figs. 4 and 9) A collar 50, secured to the standard 46 in anyVordinary way, has parallel ears 5| which provide bearings for a shaft52. The shaft has a spur pinion 53 in mesh with the rack teeth, and acrank handle 54 for turning. Asthe shaft 52 is turnedA in one directionor the other, the rack 49 is raised or lowered with respect to the top6, and thereby adjusted to the approximate length of the garment to beresized and dried. v The garment G (Fig. 1) may be carried by anordinary coat hanger 55, or some appropriate equivalent,

which is hung o n a hook 56 on the free end of an arm 51 adjustablyclamped at 58 to the rack 49.

A head 59, providing an air chamber, is iixedly secured at one of `itsopen ends to the body 4 around the opening 3 as at 60. The other openingof the head designated 6 I, is directed upwardly. Air is blown into thechamber 59by the fan 39. The air will be hot when the coil I8 is inoperation and the shutter 32 is open.' Cold air may be blown into thechamber 59 although the coil I8 is in operation, but at that time theshutter 32 must be closed. A ventilator 62 (Fig. 1) is situated in theside of the body 4, or in some other lconvenient place, this beingadapted to be opened to admit air directly from the outside.

64 in a central position with respect to the opening 6|. The shaft ismade rigid on the arm. The arm is firmly secured to the head 59 by bolts65 or their equivalents, these also securing a bracket bearing 66. Thearm 63 is braced by a stand pipe 61 which at one end screws into the armunder the shaft 64 and at the other end into a floor iiange 68. Theshaft 64 has three diam eters 69, 10, 1I. 'I'hese areprogressively'smaller in the order given.` The first two are smooth'butthe last is threaded to receive a nut 12 by means of which theassemblage is held together.

This assemblage comprises a central gear 13 which is revoluble on thelargest diameter 69. 'A center bearing block 14 is tted upon the'vintermediate diameter Jll, and is locked with a spline.

15 (Fig. 9) so that it cannot turn. This block rests on the shoulderformed by the first diam-l eter 69,there being a suillcientclearance'for the free revolution of the gear 13.v When the nut 12 isscrewed home the foregoing assemblageis held in proper position on theshaft 64, as previously stated.

Four sockets 16 (Fig. 4) in the block 14 provide bearings for the innerends of as many radial screw shafts 11. Another socket 18 (Fig. 4), alsoin the block 14 and between a pair of the sockets 16, provides the innerbearing for an operating shaft 19. The bracket 66 provides the outerbearing for this shaft (Fig. 9). The shaft 19 hasI a handle for itsoperation. A drive pinion 8| is secured to the shaft in mesh with thesun gear 13. Revolution of the gear 13 results from the turning of theshaft 19 and pinion 8| by means of the handle.

Turning motion is transmitted from the central gear to pinions 82 whichare fixed von the respective radial screw shafts 11. The shafts areprevented from slipping out of their sockets by pins 83 (Fig. 6) whichare driven far enough into the block 14 so that their points entergrooves 84 in the inner ends of the shafts. The pins and groovescomprise a swivel. The screw shafts-operate a plurality of stretchingsections emplaced in annular formation upon the rim ofthe opening-6I,and inasmuch as each of the sections is alike the immediate descriptionis confined to one of the sections, but corresponding referencecharacters have similar parts which are later applied to companion sections.

Consider the stretching section in the upper left quarter of Figure 4.The section is generally designated 85. It comprises an arcuate plate 86which is approximately one-fourth of a circle in length.l It has athreaded bracket 81 (Figs. 6

and 9) secured to its nethr side by screws 88 or their equivalents.L Thelthreaded part of the bracket contains the screw shaft 11. As the screwshaft is turned the plate 86 is moved back and forth in a radialdirection. The upper part of the bracket is dovetailed at 89 (Fig. 8).The

I A clamp 93 (Fig. 7) grips'a portion of the gar-- Ament so as to spreadthe latter over the head.

opening 6|. This clamp has arcuate bands 94, 95. Each has applied to ita strip 96 of rubber, felt or some other suitable material which willimprove the gripping quality. The strips are applied to the bands vinconfronting positions (Fig.

` 7), and their surfaces can be serrated if the nature of the materialusedmak'es that preferable.

The bands 94, 95 are, respectively, an upstanding part of the plate 80and of a lever 01 which is pivoted at 98 to a bracket 99. The bracket is*suitably secured to the plate 80. A spring |00,

pended from the hook 56 at the top (Fig. 1) and gripped atthe bottom,will stand in position for treatment according to the principle of thema.- chine. If the garment G4 is a dress as shown, the upper part willbe held by the coat hanger 55 and the hem of the skirt will be grippedby the clamps 93. The stretching sections 85 are simul' taneously movedin their respective radial directions to vsuit the diameter of the skirtby turning the handle 80 in one or the other direction.

The sizing and drying operations then follow.

.Steam and sizing are discharged into the skirt through minute holes |I,|02 in the ring pipes |03, |04 which', respectively, are connected withthe branch steam'pipe 20 and sizing outlet pipe gether that the steamand sizing arecornmingled,

29. These pipes are horizontally centered in the head opening 6|. Theyare held in place by sup,- ports which extend inwardly and are securedto the block 14 by screws'l00 (Fig. 9) or their equivalents.

The two pipes are banked substantially on the order illustrated inFigures 6 and 9. The steam ring pipe |03 is close enough to the sizingring pipe |04 vto keep the sizing warm and facilitate its atomization.The holes |0|, |02 are so close toand as `the steam tends toescapa-through the interstices of the cloth it carries the sizingwith itbut leaves the latter in the form of a deposit in the cloth. During thispart of the operation the motor 40 will be operated at low speed.Afterward, the steam and sizing are turned oi at the valves 30, 3| (Fig.9), whereupon the motor 40A Taking such a garment to be the skirt G(Fig. 1).

and assumingl that the skirt has been put through a cleaning process,the machine is'v set to stretch The garment is first hung on the coathanger 55 and suspended from the hook 56. The stretching sections 85 areexpanded to a diameter to suit the diameter of the hem of the skirt. Thehem is then gripped bythe clamps 93. Turning of the crank handle 55(Fig. 4) raises the rack 49 so as to stretch the garment.l 'I'he steamand i. sizing are then turned on. As these elements escape at the holes|0|, |02 (Fig.` 4) they commingle and resize the cloth as the mixturepasses through.

The impregnation will be assisted by running the motor 4o at low speed`The rn as thenthe motor 40 will be run at top speed after the resizingoperation has been completed, thereby causing the fan 39 to'drive a morepowerful air current through the garment for the purpose of drying.

1. A machine of the character described comprising means for holding agarment in an open position, means for discharging sizing into the opengarment, and a fan for driving a current of air into the garment, rst toaid in depositing the sizing in the interstices ofthe cloth, second todry the cloth.

2. A machine oi' the character described comprising means for holding agarment in an open position, a sizing tank and means at which sizingfrom the tank is discharged into an open end of the garment, a steamcoil located adjacently to the tank so that the heat of the steam willrender the sizing more iluent preparatory to its discharge, and meansatv which steam from the coil is discharged into said open end of thegarment to commingle with the sizing and insure its deposition in theinterstices of the cloth as the steam passes through the garment.

3. A machine of the character described com# prising means for holding agarment in an open position, va. sizing tank and means at which sizingfrom the tank is discharged into an open end of the garment, a steamcoil located adjacently to the tank so that the heat of the steam willrender `the sizing more fluent preparatory to its dischargekmeans atwhich steam from the coil is discharged'into said open end of thegarment to commingle with the sizing and insure its deposition in theinterstices of the cloth as the steam passes through the garment, and afan for blowing a current of air into said open end of the garment toaid the action of the steam and subsequently to dry the garment.

4. A machine of the character described comprising a head providing anair chamber and having inlet andoutlet openings, a fan to blow air intothe inlet opening, clamping means to grip a garment in an open positionover the outlet opening so that the airblows into the garment andthrough the cloth, and a perforated' sizing ring pipe centered withrespect to theroutletl opening, at which pipe sizing is dischargeable tobe picked up by the air current. l 5. A machine of the characterdescribed cornprising a. head forming an air chamber and having inletand outlet openings, a fan to blow the garment and resize it so that itwill be re- ,turned to the owner in true form and appearance.

air into the inlet opening, stretching sections in annular positionaround the outlet opening, clamping sections to grip one endA of agarment, said sections being carried by the stretching sections, aturnable gear centered in the outlet opening, means operable by saidgear to move the sections in radial directions thereby to open said endof the garment, and at least one perforated ring pipe centered withrespect to the stretching sections, said pipe being adapted to dischargea iiuid atits perforations to be picked up by the air current.

6.' A machine of the character described-comprising a head providing anair chamber and having inlet and outlet openings, a fan vto blow airinto the inlet opening, stretching sections arranged in Yannular formwith respectto the outlet opening-said sections including arcuate platesoverlying the open end, means4 to adjust to grip one end of a garmentand hold said end 'said sections in radial directions from a common Ycenter, clamping means carried by the sections in a fully open positionby virtue of said adjustment, at least one perforated ring pipe todischarge a fluid at its perforations at the outlet openings, and meansto flxedly hold said pipe centered with respect to the stretchingsections and opening.

7. In a machine of the character described, a head having an outletopening, a plurality of arcuate plates emplaced in annular formationupon the rim of said opening, garment clampf ing means carried by saidplates, a bearing block centered with respect to said plates andopening, a central gear, means supporting the central gear and bearingblock, screw shaftsh havingbea'ring in said block and means on theundersides of said plates with which the screw shafts are connected,land. pinions lcarried by the screw shafts in mesh means xedlysupporting the lshaft with respect to the head, a central gear revolubleon one of the diameters and means vfor revolving said gear, a

bearing block fitted on the other diameter and i means for iixing theblock thereon, said block having radial sockets, screw shafts havingbearing at their inner ends in said sockets and having pinions in meshwith the central gear, plates at head having an outlet'opening'locatedin Va hori' zontal plane, stretching sections located in the substantialplaneof the opening, each section including clamping means to grip oneend of they garment, operating means to simultaneously move saidsectionson radial lines with respect to a common center thereby tochange the effective size of the opening and to change the' positions`of theclamping means, means also in the substantial 'plane of theopening at which a fluid is dischargeable into said open end of thegarment, hanging means from which the other end of the garment issuspended, a standard which is fixed with respect to the head, a rackslidable in thestandard and carrying the hanging means,v and means onthe standard in engage'- ,nment with the rack to slide the rack in thestandard to vertically adjust the hanging means with' respect to theopening.

10. In a machine ofthe character described, a hollow body having atleast one opening, a head and means by which'it is secured to the bodyover said opening, said head having an outlet opening, garment clampingand opening means situated substantially in the plane of said outletopening, a fan for blowingY an air current through the head, said fanhaving a motor situated in the body, -a hollow standard carried by thebody. al rack slidable in the standard, and a pinion in mesh with therack, said standard having means turnably 'supporting the pinion,4 andhanging means carried by the rack for suspending the garment in acentral position over the'outlet opening.-

1 1. In a machine of the character described, a hollow body, heatingmeans and amotor driven fan contained by said body, a shutter across thebody dividing -the heating means from the fan, means to hold the shutterin adjusted position, said fan drawing air across the heating meanswhen'the shutter is open, and a ventilator in the Mbody adjacent to-thefan at which to draw in vcool air when the shutter is closed.

12. A machine of the character described comprising a sizing tank and aspray pipe to which sizing is delivered from the tank, a steam heatingcoil located in proximity to the tank to warm thesizing by heat radiatedbythe coil, and a steam discharge pipe in proximity to the spray pipehaving a branch pipe inI connection with the coil 4

